Cockney's home, shown a year ago, was built by her late father. She says neither the hamlet nor her insurance will cover damages to the house from relocation or erosion. (Weronika Murray/Submitted by Noella Cockney)

Tuktoyaktuk relocating homes too soon, says resident

Noella Cockney can watch the waves splash against the door of her home when the storms pick up in Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T.

Her house is one of several in the Arctic hamlet threatened by rapid coastal erosion — houses the local government intends to relocate to new gravel foundations on Reindeer Point Road, inland.

But with the fall storm season on the way, Cockney says it’s too soon to move.

“They’re trying to rush us, and that’s just going to end up destroying our houses.”

Disappearing coastal land has been a fact of life for decades in Tuktoyaktuk, but residents say in the past year alone, storms have grown more fierce and destructive — and the rate of erosion is accelerating… more

Based on an interview by Lawrence Nayally, produced by Marc Winkler

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